Folding leg for furniture



(No Model.) 9

' s D. E. CARTER.

FOLDING LEG FOR FURNITURE.

- No. 554,981. Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

' WITNESSES;

ATTORNEYS.

AN DREW BJ'IRANAM, PHOTD-LHHQWASHIN GTONJ) C.

.lJNiTEn STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

DAN E. CARTER, OF TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN.

FOLDING LEG FOR FURNITURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,981, dated February18, 1896.

' i A pli ati n fil d June 28, 1895. Serial N0. 554,324. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Traverse City, in the county of Grand Traverse and State of Michigan,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Legs forFurniture, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to an improvement in the folding legs for benches,tables, cot bedsteads', chairs, and like devices; and it has for itsobject to provide for the folding of the legs of any article offurniture in a manner which will maintain the legs in a closed positionor in a position for support, as occasion may demand, the locking deviceemployed being exceedingly simple; and a further object of the inventionis to so construct the legs and the locking devices connected therewiththat the whole will be du rable and economic, and whereby, further, thelegs may be expeditiously and conveniently adjusted to the desiredposition.

The invention consists in the nox el construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the folding legs applied to a table.Fig. 2is an end view thereof. Fig. 3 is a section through the table andthrough the connecting-bars of one set of legs, showing an inner faceview of the bracket in which the legs are journaled; and Fig. 4 is aperspective view of a table to which the improvement is applied, thelegs being shown in folded position.

In carrying out the invention the table A, to which the legs are shownas applied, is provided at each side of each end with a bracket 10, thesaid brackets having produced upon their inner faces vertical slots 11,

which are in connection or communication with semicircular or segmentalrecesses 12, and each bracket is furthermore provided opposite thesemicircular or segmental recess with a shoulder 13, and the saidshoulder may be in the nature of a rib produced upon the inner face ofthe bracket, as shown in Fig. 3, in which event the said face where theshoulder is made is lessened in width and Be it known that I, DAN E.CARTER, of

the shoulder is adjacent to the table A.

The legs B are in pairs, and the legs 14 of each pair are usuallyconnected by two or more dowel-rods 15, the upper dowel-rod being madeto extend beyond the sides of the pair of legs and is journaled insuitable openings made in the brackets 10. The other dowel-rods aresimply rungs serving to connect the legs of a pair, and each of thelonger upper dowel-rods 15 has secured to its outer portion, or thatportion which is outside of the brackets 10, an arm 16-, preferably madeof metal, and the said arms are of such length as to extend beyond thelower edges of the said brackets. V

A binding-rod 17 is passed through the arms of each pair of legs andthrough the legs themselves, fitting loosely in the latter, and the saidbinding-rods are squared or rendered polygonal at one of their ends tofit into corresponding openings through which these portions of thebinding-rods are to pass, terminating at their outer ends in heads 17,while their opposite extremities, which are likewise loosely passedthrough the arms 16, are threaded to receive lock-nuts 18, preferably ofthe wing type, as shown in Fig. 2. The bearings of the upper dowel-rodsare located in the slots 11, produced in the said brackets. Therefore,when the legs are carried down to a folded position against the bottomof the table their upper edges, which are rounded off, turn freely inthe segmental or semicircular recesses 12 of the bracket.

When the legs are carried to a vertical position they are contained attheir upper ends almostwholly within the said slots 11 of the brackets,bearing at their outer edges against the outer walls of the saidrecesses and at their upper inner edges against the shoulders 13, formedon the aforesaid ribs, as shown in Fig. 3. By screwing the nut 18 on thebinding or clamping rod or bar the brackets are forced inward, so as tocause them to bind against the legs of a pair, thereby holding the saidlegs in the slots 11, it being understood that the inner vertical wallof these slots is much narrower than the outer wall, so as to permit thelegs to be folded upon the under face of the object to which thebrackets are secured. It is evident that the adjustment of the legs maybe expeditiously and conveniently accomplished either in a supporting orin a folded position. \Vhen the legs are to be folded the set-screws 18are loosened, permitting the legs to turn freely in the brackets.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In a table or other article of furniture, bracketssecured to the said article of furniture upon its under face, havingvertical recesses in their inner surfaces, the inner walls of therecesses being of less width than the outer walls, legs pivoted betweenopposing brackets, and clamping-rods carried by the legs and connectedwith the pivots thereof, being adapted to draw the brackets together andconfine the legs in the recesses of the brackets and in supportingposition, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a table or other article of furniture, the combination, withbrackets secured to the under face thereof and having vertical recessesmade therein, one wall whereof is of less width than the opposing wall,the Wider wall of the recesses having concavities formed therein, oflegs pivoted between opposing brackets, the pivots of the legs extendingthrough said brackets, arms secured to the said pivots of the legs atthe outer faces of the brackets, extending beyond the edges thereof, aclamping-rod holding one of the arms against turning, passed through thelegs and loosely through the opposing arm of the opposing bracket, and alock-nut located upon the said rod, by the adjustment of which thebrackets may be drawn together, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a table or other article of furniture, a bracket secured to theunder face thereof, having slots produced therein, legs arranged inpairs and located between opposing brackets, the pivots of the legspassing through and beyond the outer faces of the brackets, arms securedto the outer ends of the said pivots and extending beyond the underfaces of the brackets, a clamping rod passed through each set of legsand the arms on their ends, being held against turning in one of thearms and being threaded at their opposite ends, and a lock-nut locatedupon the threaded portion of the said clamping-rods, as and for thepurpose specified.

DAN E. 'EAR'IER. Witnesses:

CORA L. 1;. CARTER, J. M. THOMAS.

